Yahoo: Wife helped John L. Smith make choice to leave Weber State

Yahoo's Pat Forde spoke to John L. Smith on Tuesday and found out that Smith's wife helped him understand the opportunity before him.

Our take: Opinions abound in the national media about John L. Smith's move to Arkansas after just 4 1/2 months (and no games) at Weber State. But Yahoo's Pat Forde spoke to Smith on Tuesday and found out that Smith's wife helped him understand the opportunity before him:

Smith, a 63-year-old football lifer, was racked by indecision and stress. Could he really leave his alma mater before coaching a single game? How bad would the backlash be in Odgen? How dicey would the situation be in Fayetteville?

When his wife, Diana, broke into tears, Smith's choice was clear.

"You've worked your entire life to maybe one day have an opportunity to coach a team with a chance to win a title," she told her husband. "Realize where you are in your career. You're not going to get another chance.

Layton is an assistant editor for DeseretNews.com. He also helps manage the organization's social media presence and writes sports articles. Prior to his internship and employment at the Deseret News, Layton received a more ..